PARENTAL MEDIATION OF TELEVISION Test of a German-speaking scale and findings on the impact of parental attitudes, sociodemographic and family factors in German-speaking Switzerland

In the present study a German-speaking scale for measuring parental mediation of television is tested and various factors influencing television mediation are investigated. 252 German-speaking Swiss parents of children aged 3 to 14 answered questions about their mediation behavior and possible determinants. The results confirm international research findings. Active and restrictive mediation as well as coviewing are identified as important mediation styles in German-speaking Switzerland. Though in detail the mediation styles show different determinant patterns, altogether parental attitudes toward television, family interaction patterns, and children's age prove to be central determinants of television mediation styles. Sociodemographic and structural factors seem to become less important.